Poultry-coop.



VI'RG'IL S. WEEKLEY, OF PENNSBORO, WEST VIRGINIA.

POULTRY-COOP.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application ned March s0. 1907. serai No. 305.501.

To all whom it may concern:

13e it known that 1, VIEGIL S. WEEKLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Pennsboro, in the county of Ritchie and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Poultry- Coops, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in poultry coops and consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction, which may be readily moved about and conveniently handled, and in which poultry or the like may be kept in a cleanly and economical manner.

Further objects and advantages as well as the structural features by means of which these objects are attained will be made clear by an examination of the followin specification taken in connection with he accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the front side of my improved poultry coop; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section; and Fig. 4 is avertical transverse section.

My improved poultry coop comprises four corner posts 1, the lower ends of which serve as legs to support the body of the coop a suitable distance above the ground, iioor or the like. Thebody portion of the coop is formed by upper and lower pairs of longitudinal or side bars 2, 3 and similar pairs `of end bars 4, 5. These bars 2, 3, 4, 5 are connected together in any suitable manner and the ends of the lower pair of side bars 3 are extended beyond the posts 1, as shown at 6, for a purpose presently explained. The upper pair of side bars 2 are connected by transverse slats-7 which form an opentop for the coop. The bars 2, 3 on each side are connected by vertical slats 9 which form the front and back or the opposite sides of the coop. Similar vertical slats 10 connect the bars 4, 5 and form the two ends of the coop. The slats 9, have their ends mortised or set in the bars which they connect, as clearly shown at 9a in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The slats 10 have their ends set in the bars which they connect in a similar manner. The bottom of the body portion of the coop is formed ing outside of the coop through the slats of the sides and ends thereof. This guard 13 is formed by four boards arranged upon the tops of the bars 3, 3, 5, 5 and between the ostsl and they are engaged with the inner faces of the slats 9, 10, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 andl4. The upper ends of these guard boards 13 are beveled downwardly and inwardly as shown at 14. Two of the slats 11 i are extended beyond the back or one side of the coop, as shown at 15, for a purpose presently explained.

To permit of the insertion and removal of the poultry a door 16 is arranged in the front side of the coop, and as here shown, consists of two slats 17 which have beveled edges 18 adapted to slide in under-cut grooves 19 formed in the side bars 2, 3, as seen in Fig. 1. The upper ends of the door slats 17 are connected by a cross bar 20 which when the door is closed engages the top of the front side bar 2. These slats- 17 are connected upon their inner sides adjacent to their lower ends by a cross bar 21 which slidably engages two of the adjacent slats 9 as the door is slid vertically to either its opened or closed position. The lower ends of the slats 17 are Jfurther connected upon their outer sides by a cross bar or cleat 22 which projects sufficiently to form a hand piecejby means of which the door may be readily operated.

The ends 6 of the side bars 3 and the ends 15 of the slats 11 are extended as shown for the purpose of supporting removable troughs 23, 24, 25. The trough 24 is supported by the ends 15 of the slats 11 adjacentto the slats 9 of the back of the coop and is preferably used for holding drinking water for the poultry; and the troughs 23, 25 are similarly supported by the ends 6 of the bars 3 adj acent to the slats 10 of the ends of the coop, one trough being used to contain feed and the other grit. As shown, these troughs are similar in construction, each consisting of a V-shaped body 26 arranged between end pieces 27 which have reduced lower portions 28 connected by base boards 29. The reduced portions 28 of the ends 27 of the troughs 23, 25 are adapted to fit in recesses 30 formed in th'e extended ends 6 of the bars 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 5 and the base or bottom board 29 of the water trough 24 is adapted t'o have its outer edge engage the shoulders 31 formed by enlargements upon the outer ends of the portions 15 of the slats 11. The inner edge of this board 29 engages the outer sides of the slats 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.l This construction enables the troughs to be readily removed from their projecting supports for cleaning or other purposes.

The chamber or receptacle 12 is formed by a horizontally arranged, longitudinally eX- tending bottom board 32 and two downwardly and inwardly inclined boards 33 which have their lower edges supported by the bottom board 32 and their upper edges supported by longitudinally arranged cleats secured upon the bars 3. The side or bottom boards 33 of the chamber are inclined, as shown in Fig. 4 so that they will direct the dirt and refuse falling through the bottom slats 11 of the coop upon the bottom board 32 so that the same may be readily removed from the chamber or receptacle -12 through either of its ends. These ends of said chambier are closed by transversely sliding doors 34, the upper and lower edges of which are oppositely beveled at 35 to engage undercut c eats 36 arranged transversely between the posts l, the upper cleats 36 being also secured to the bars 3, and the lower cleats 36 secured to the bars 37 which connect the osts 1 and support the bottom board 32. Iilertical cleats 38 are arranged transversely of the doors 34 and serve as hand pieces by means of which the doors may be readily opened or closed. When one or both of the doors are opened the dirt or refuse in the chamber 12 may be readily removed therefrom by a scraper of any kind.

It will be seen that when my improved coop is used poultry may be kept in a healthful and economical manner since all parts of the coop may be quickly and easily cleaned and food will be supplied at all times to the poultry without liability of the same being wasted. The provision of the slatted bottom of the coop renders the same practically self-cleaning and the guard 13 around the bottom of the coo prevents dirtlfrom dropping outside of tlie same. It will also be noted that the coop is of simple construction so that it may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost and that it is convenient to handle and may be readily transported from place to place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A portable poultry coop comprising a bodyhaving its bottom formed with openings, legs to support said body and a collecting receptacle arranged beneath said bottom lecting receptacle arranged beneath said body and between said legs and having downwardly and inwardly inclined walls, substantially as described.

3. A portable poultry coop comprising a body having a bottom provided with openings, a collecting receptacle arranged beneath said bottom and carried by said body, said receptacle having an inclined bottom wall section, and a door arranged at one end of said receptacle, whereby the latter maybe readily cleaned, substantially as described.

4. A portable poultry coop comprising a body having a bottom provided with openings, supporting legs for said body, a collecting receptacle arran ed beneath said bottom and between said egs and having downwardly and inwardly inclined walls, and a door arranged at one end of said receptacle, whereby the latter may be readily cleaned, substantially as described.

5. A portable poultry coop comprising a body having a bottom provided with openings, supporting legs for said body, a collecting receptacle arranged beneath said bottom and between said legs, anda sliding door arranged at one end of said receptacle whereby it may be readily cleaned, substantially as described.

6. A coop ofthe character described, comprising a body having a bottom provided with openings, upright guards arranged around said bottom and having downwardly and inwardly beveled upper edges, and a collecting chamber or receptacle arranged beneath said bottom, substantially as described.

7. A coop ofthe character described, comprising a body having horizontally arranged bars extended beyond one of the side walls of said body to form supports, the latter having seats in their upper edges and a trough removably engaged with said seats,

substantially as described. 8. A- coop ofthe character described, comprising a body having a slatted bottom, certain of the slats of said bottom being eX-' tended to form supports and a `trough arranged upon said supports, substantially as described.

9. A coop ofthe character described, comprising corner posts, bars connecting said posts, a body arranged' upon said bars and said posts, certain of said bars being .eX- tended beyond the vertical wall of the body to provide supports and a trough arrangedv upon said supports, scribed.

10. A coop ofthe character described comprising corner posts, bars connecting said substantially as deposts, certain of said bars being extended eyond said posts to form supports, slats connecting 'certain of said bars and forming a body, troughs removably engaged with the supports formed by the extended ends of said bars, a slatted bottom for said body, certain of the slats ofsaid bottom being extended and a trough removably mounted upon the extended ends of said slats.

1 1. A coop ofthe character described comprising corner posts, bars connecting said posts, certain of said bars being extended beyond said posts to form supports, slats connecting certain of said bars and forming a body, troughs removably engaged with the supports formed by the extended ends of said bars, a slatted bottom for said body, certain of the slats of said bottom being extended, a trough removably mounted upon the extended ends of said slats, aguard surrounding said slatted bottom and having its upper edge beveled inwardly and downwardly, a chamber arranged beneath said slatted bottom and having downwardly and inwardly inclined walls, and transversely sliding doors closing the ends of said chamber or receptacle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VIRGIL S. WEEKLEY. 

